Racial Slurs Etched In Chalk At Westfield School, Town To Host Unity Event

WESTFIELD, NJ — After racial slurs were reportedly written in pink chalk at the playground of Jefferson Elementary School last week, the town will host "Walk The Chalk" — an event to encourage unity and tolerance in the community.

Westfield Police reported that derogatory words were written on the playground and sidewalk area of Jefferson Elementary School on Thursday, March 3. According to Gary Mandelblatt, the Chairman of the Human Relations Advisory Commission who spoke at Tuesday night's Westfield Council meeting, the words written were offensive, racial slurs.

As a response to the incident, the Westfield community is invited to join the "Walk the Chalk" action event hosted by the Human Relations Advisory Commission to color chalk messages of unity and tolerance in the same places that the racial slurs were written.

The event will take place on Wednesday, March 16 at Jefferson Elementary at 3 p.m.

Mandelblatt explained that the phrase "Walk the Chalk" is meant to encourage people to support their words with action.

"The phrase 'walk the chalk' means that we should take action with the words of unity and tolerance that we will chalk on the walk at Jefferson," Mandelblatt said. "We want to transform what someone meant for hate and division into messages of kindness and community."

Westfield Superintendent Dr. Raymond González released the following statement about the incident:

“We take all acts of hate seriously. The incident was reported to the Westfield Police Department and it is being investigated.”

This has not been the first incident where derogatory language has been spread at Westfield Schools or in the community.

In the past few years, swastikas have been drawn at the playground in Mindowaskin Park, as well as at Westfield High School. Brindle had also notified the community of two local Asian-American families who were targets of "bigoted rhetoric" back in March.

The town also recently hosted a community discussion to address these bias incidents.

Read more: Acts Of Hate In Westfield To Be Discussed At Community Event

According Mandelblatt, the Police Chief and Mayor Shelley Brindle will also attend the chalk event next Wednesday. The entire community is invited to join in spreading positive messages.

Westfield's Town Council meeting can be viewed on Facebook.

Patch reached out to Westfield Police but has yet to receive a response. This article will be updated as needed.

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